With the annual Consumer Electronic Show taking over Las Vegas this week, an endless number of products were introduced and on display.

Many are gimmicks and not practical for daily use but here is a sample of some that caught my attention.

The Klipsch LightSpeaker combines efficient LED lighting and wireless ambient sound in a single unit,

It’s installed just like a light bulb and works anywhere a standard light bulb is used, including can lighting, hanging fixtures or floor lamps.

To play music, just connect the included transmitter to any music source (iPod, laptop, etc.) and the sound is wirelessly sent to the LightSpeaker. Each transmitter has the wireless ability to accommodate up to eight LightSpeakers.

In addition to the speaker, each unit contains a dimmable LED bulb, which is rated for 40,000 hours of use and can last more than 15 years.

It will be available as a bundled package with two LightSpeakers, a transmitter, radio frequency remote, mini jack to RCA plug cable, lenses and trim for $599. Single LightSpeakers will cost $249 each.

Klipsch will have them on klipsch.com later this month, with broader distribution slated for March.

www.klipsch.com

If you thought it was a great jump from USB 1.0 to USB 2.0, Western Digital (WD) will help you make the move to USB 3.0.

This week they introduced their fastest hard drive ever with the My Book 3 external hard drive.

The new desktop external drive is certified with the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface, which is considerably faster than USB 2.0.

According to WD, the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface on My Book 3.0 drives provides transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits-per-second, allowing users to open and save files up to 4.7 times faster than USB 2.0. WD does note this can vary depending on the computer system.

What this means to a user is it will significantly reduces the time it takes to transfer, open and save large files.

The 1 TB capacity drive is at WD retailers or on shopwd.com in a USB 3.0 kit ($199.99) or as a standalone unit ($179.99). Later this month a 2 TB model will be available.

www.westerndigital.com

Pandigital has an innovative digital picture frame, The Photo Mail LED Digital Photo Frame.

The frame is email-connected and powered by AT&T, which accepts the photos emailed directly to its dedicated email address without any ongoing service fee.

The 8-inch LED frame comes with a dedicated email address and anyone who knows the address can email photos to the frame.

Once the photos are received, the user simply accepts them and they are then available for viewing.

The frame comes with the ability to have 300 photos emailed to it and once they are used up, addition photos can be purchased for for $9.99 for 100 emailed photos, $29.99 for 400 and $49.99 for 700.

Photos are sent via ATT wireless network without the need of WiFi.

The Snapfish photo service handles the photo management and makes the images viewable on the frame’s Snapfish.com account.

In addition, the frame has all the standard features of Pandigital digital frames including a large 8-inch back-lit LED display in 800×600 resolution,1GB of internal memory and a 6-in-1 built-in media card reader for uploading photos.

The frame will be available in later this quarter for $149.

www.pandigital.net

Dual Electronics Corp.’s GPS Navigation and Battery Cradle (model XGPS300) turns an iPod touch into a portable GPS unit.

A GPS receiver is built into the cradle, which houses the touch and also acts as an addition battery source.

Dual’s NavAtlas app is included, which gives users turn-by- turn navigation with TTS technology and the latest U.S and Canada maps from NAVTEQ.

Users will also benefit from many additional features including an amplified speaker, auto out connections, a Mini USB port and a rechargeable battery.

The cradle works as a handheld device or as an in-car unit. It provides GPS location data to any app that needs it including those for hiking, geocaching or even hiking.

Expect the device to be available sometime during the first quarter in the $179 to $199 range.

www.gpscradle.dualav.com

Everyone has heard of wireless Internet, but how about wireless power?

Fulton Innovation is creator and exclusive licensor of eCoupled intelligent wireless power.

Once the wireless power transmitter is installed in things like desktops or countertops a simple device such as a blender or laptop computer will function like it is plugged into an outlet.

If the device has a rechargeable battery built in, it will also charge while in contact with the transmitter.

The company is partnering with computer, mobile phone, home appliance, furniture, and other manufacturers to integrate eCoupled technology into devices.

Companies such with Motorola, Bosch, Dell and Texas Instruments are working with the company to make some of their products wireless power compatible.

When pressed for an answer if Apple was on board for the wireless power, company representatives wouldn’t budge for any kind of answer except to say that Apple would be a very good partner.

Prices depend on the device needing to be powered. For example a blender, which has the wireless power receiver built-in, would require you to put a $50 - $60 transmitter into a countertop.

The transmitter would be able to power high wattage appliances or any other device with the built-in wireless power receiver.

http://ecoupled.com

Three new portable iPhone and iPod speaker accessories with rechargeable lithium ion batteries have been announced from iHome.

Designed for portability, they let you travel with your music away or just you can place it in any room.

The iP48 Portable Rechargeable Stereo Alarm Clock for iPhone/iPod is in a protective travel case for portability.

The unit also has a flip up clock display and a time sync feature to set the clock to local time when you dock an iPhone.

The iP48 is expected to sell for $149 this spring.

With the iP49 Alarm Clock & FM Radio for iPhone/iPod, users will get a unit that features iHome’s high-end clock radio functions.

This includes the choice of waking up or going to sleep with music from an iPod, iPhone or FM radio.

The unit can get an audio boost with the inclusion of Bongiovi Acoustics’ patented Digital Power Station technology and four neodymium compression drivers.

Expect it out in the spring with a price of $169.

For those who just want speakers, iHM79 Rechargeable Mini Speakers are available for $49. The speaker pair is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and can be charged via USB.

Users can hook them up directly to an iPod, computer or any other device with a 3.5mm audio jack and can be collapsed down for great portability.

www.ihomeaudio.com

Many people spend several hundred dollars for a portable GPS unit and Lowepro, a product design company known for their storage solutions for photography equipment and portable electronics, has launched the Navi collection to house these expensive gadgets.

The line has six protective models, which will be available in February for both handheld and portable mobile GPS devices.

Some highlights include the 3.5-inch Navi Bag to protect a GPS unit in the wilderness.

It has a fast-action draw cord and carabineer to keep the device easily accessible even with gloved hands. The exterior is made of stretchy neoprene with a soft interior fabric to protect the touch screen from dust, scratches and abrasion. A built-in, zippered side pocket holds two AA-sized batteries, making the pouch an ideal solution for a long hike.

The Navi Plus has two cases in one compact design.

The main case has two outer side pockets sized for USB and power cords, and mesh pocket for a battery, extra cords or a small manual. It also has a padded adjustable divider to create space for a dashboard/windshield mount.

Fitted within the main compartment is a second removable GPS case with brushed tricot fabric and reinforced exterior which can be transported between vehicles

www.lowepro.com/gps, prices of the six models range from $19.99 to $34.99

Scosche Industries has some additions to its iPod/iPhone accessory lineup.

These days everyone has multiple electronic gadgets needing a daily charge, which is where Scosche’s handy reviveLITE comes in.

The unit has been given an upgrade to act as a nightlight, charge and iPod/iPhone.

Now the design has an additional USB charging port for other USB powered devices while charging an iPod or iPhone cable free.

Also new are IDR655m earphones with tapLINE II Remote and Mic.

It has an improved noise isolating, which feature 11mm drivers to deliver brilliant highs, silky smooth mids and powerful bass.

Scosche placed the headphone controls where the earphone wires split, making switching tracks or adjusting the volume easy.

A microphone for handsfree conversations is on the headphone cord. Also included are small, medium, and large single and dual flanged silicone inserts to get the proper comfort and sound.

www.scosche.com

For those wanting to show some fashion while using an iPod or iPhone, iWave has launched another line of personal technology accessories.

The Crystal Clear Collection consists of earbuds, headphones and cases ranging from $12.99 to $29.99 and is expected to be available in the second quarter of this year.

Designed for women, the products are described as adorned with awe-inspiring Crystallize – Swarovski Elements in a company press release.

For the most part they are designed so women can use the media devices as matching accessories for daytime or eveningwear.

www.iWaveAudio.com

– Gregg Ellman

BlackBerry has a solution for those wanting to go cell phone hands-free without a headset.

The BlackBerry Visor Mount Speakerphone (model VM-605) lets users stay connected hands-free, allowing for more attention to driving.

After pairing the speaker and a Bluetooth-enabled phone, simply clip it to the visor; there is no further installation or software necessary.

The device is simple to use and worked very well with voice-activated calling. It also supports caller ID and verbal notification of the caller.

A built-in speaker provided the sound for the call and the built-in microphone responded well to my voice.  During my testing, no one said they couldn’t hear me on a call.

Since the device clips onto the visor in a second, you might want to remove it when not in use to prevent an invitation for theft.

To charge, simply connect the included USB cord or use an existing phone charger.  A car charger is also included.

The device is music-ready for those who want to listen to music from a cell phone through the car stereo system.

http://na.blackberry.com, $99

Smith Micro Software’s new StuffIt Deluxe 2010 for Mac is a must-have for any Mac user who shares large files.

Video, music, photos or any large file is compressed for distribution in seconds; the file can easily be shared in a variety of ways including email or FTP.

Users can also avoid sending files this way with a new feature in the software called Stuffit Connect.

This enables users to alert the recipient of the files with a link via email. They then open the link to access the files. The software allows users to share up to 2GB of files in a secure web site.

Other new features include StuffIt SmartSend and improved compression for audio and digital images.

StuffIt SmartSend lets users simply choose the option of Stuff and Mail from the menu bar. This automatically compresses smaller files and attaches them to an email.

Larger files are compressed and uploaded with Stuffit Connect.

Stuffit 2010 for Mac sells for $79.99 and owners of StuffIt Deluxe or StuffIt Standard can upgrade $29.99.

www.smithmicro.com

It’s an understatement that the iLuv iMM153 Desktop Dual Alarm Clock wakes you up.

The unit not only docks an iPod or iPhone for charging and playing, but can be used with the alarm to wake up to your favorite tunes.

For those who find it hard to wake to music, this unit gives you a choice of being awakened by multiple alarm options, including a bed shaker, FM-radio, iPod audio, a buzzer or any combination of alarms.

The bed shaker is a wired device, about the size of a hockey puck that plugs into the back of the unit and can be placed under a pillow or mattress.

Once the alarm goes off the shaker vibrates the bed to help you wake up.

The LCD is adjustable to 10 different levels of brightness by tapping the snooze button.

A standard universal iPod dock on top connects the device and charges it overnight.

On the back is a 3.5mm Aux line input jack to connect other audio devices.

According to iLuv, it works with iPod touch 2nd generation, iPod nano 5th generation, iPod nano 4th generation, iPod touch, iPod nano 3rd generation, iPod classic, iPod nano 2nd generation, iPod with video, iPod nano 1st generation, iPod 4th generation and the iPod mini.

Built-in speakers play the music and there are 10 programmable presets for 10 radio stations.

It runs on standard AC power or for portability it will work with two AAA batteries.

It’s available in black, blue, pink or white and sells for around $45 online.

www.iLuv.com,

When you think of Energizer it’s easy to just think of batteries and their bunny icon but they also make some pretty useful products.

Outdoor enthusiasts will like The Night Strike handheld Flashlight ($99) a rugged, water-resistant portable light with a magnesium-alloy case.

It’s small enough to be carried in a pocket or with a removable belt clip.

It has multiple lighting modes to help the run time and get the proper brightness projected in most any situation.

Expect up to six hours of light while using nothing but Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA batteries.

The Micro Led Headlight ($29.99) is more of a light, which I could use – especially when trolling around my attic.

The light is built into an adjustable headband and offers hands free use for this or any activity where extra light is needed.

After putting it on your head and turning it on with a push-button switch there is not more to do. It’s even waterproof and works on just one AA battery.

http://energizer.com

– Gregg Ellman

The iPods have been unwrapped and you may think you have everything needed in the world of gadgets.

Guess again - it never ends and there are lots of cool things to add to your devices for enhanced use or just to keep them powered up.

Regardless of what device you have or even how much you paid for it, without power, it’s useless.

That’s where the Dexim DCA103 BluePack S3 makes a great addition for many portable power-hungry gadgets.

Depending on the device, this can add up to 10 hours of talk time to a cell phone, up to 12 hours of video watching or a whopping 72 hours of audio.

The portable battery comes with the standard USB cable for the Apple iPod/iPhones products. Mini- or micro-USB cables are also included for BlackBerry models, T-Mobile’s G1 and all HTC phones. Before ordering, check the Dexim web site for confirmation that your device is compatible.

The battery is a 2600mA Lithium Polymer and can be charged with the included dual USB AC charger or connected to any open USB computer port.

The battery is surrounded by a metal case with rounded edges for comfort while stored in a pocket and has built-kin LCD warning lights.

A carrying bag is included to store all the parts and pieces.

www.dexim.net, $65

Next get a good set of earbuds, since the set that comes with most any portable media player is worthless.

The earbud/headphone market is pretty crowded but a great choice is the ergonomically designed Phiaton PS 200’s ($249).

When choosing an item like these, comfort is almost as critical as the sound, and during a recent three-hour flight I didn’t take them out once.

Simply said, these have it all with great sound and great looks.

Phiaton is known for great sound and these have the company’s Applied Dynamic Speaker Driver, which uses acoustic transducer technology. This all delivers the advertised great bass with outstanding clarity.

Users will have a choice of three sizes of silicon tips, which are included, for the most comfortable fit. I never had to change the ones that were installed.

For those wanting the technical aspects, they are packed with dual balanced armature drivers along with a passive crossover network in the .176 oz device.

As for the design, the headphones hang outside the ear and resemble a jet engine.

A hard carrying case with a cable-management system is included to store the headphones and the extra silicon tips.

Recently Phiaton also introduced PS 210 ($99) earphones, which are ergonomically designed to fit just outside the ear canal and offer the sound of the in-ear style.

They feature a lightweight aluminum body and come with four sizes of silicone ear tips.

www.phiaton.com

Portable desktop speaker systems are about as common and popular as headphones,

If you’re looking for one of these units for portability and you don’t want to break the bank, the Logitech S125i is the device for you.

It’s small enough (7.77 x 3.54 x 3.35-inches) to throw in any suitcase or just take up a corner of any desktop and is simple to use.

Power it up with the included AC adaptor or get four AA batteries (up to 10 hours use) for a picnic-ready portable music player. Then dock your iPod or iPhone and play away.

For the 100 or so non-Apple users out there, connect your device via a port (3.5mm auxiliary input) on the back with your own cable.

If you desire for one of these units is to fill a room up with sound, look elsewhere. But if you want sound at a medium sound setting, this is a great choice.

Users can add some bass with the push of a button on the front of the unit.

www.logitech.com, $45

Protection is a great thing when it comes to the high-priced iPods and iPhones.

Bodyguardz will protect these and many other media players, cell phones or laptops.

The product is a clear film, which is designed and custom fitted for each specific device. They are made with the same film many people (including me) have on the front end of their car for protection.

Once applied, your portable media device is scratch- and dust resistant.

The application might sound kind of complicated since it’s more than just a peel and paste, but once completed it works great. Users need to read the instructions before use starting but they are simple.

Remember, each kit is customized for a specific device and I tested it out on my iPod touch.

This kit comes with a two complete sets of protectors and the application solution.

Once applied I found it worked great, although I didn’t like the part where I had to wait 12 hours before turning the device on.

Users might also wonder how the touch screen works once applied and it was never an issue _ it worked just like before.

Prices vary by device; the iPod touch kit I used sells for $24.95.

www.bodyguardz.com

– Gregg Ellman

I never really choose my favorite product of the year but if I did, the Pandigital’s PhotoLink One-Touch 5×7 Scanner would be very high on the list.

Who doesn’t have a box of old photos laying around that you often think of turning into digital files?

In a matter of seconds the PhotoLink scans prints up to 5×7-inches. They can be scanned directly onto a memory card (SD, MS, MS Pro, MMS or XD) stored in the built-in 5-in-1-card reader or into a computer.

A 1GB SD card is included in addition to a USB cable for direct connection to a computer.

Users will find not only that it works so well, but also that it works away from a computer and software free, which is one of my favorite aspects of the device.

It weighs one pound and measures 7.5×1.75 x 3-inches, so the portability aspect is great.

While it comes with instructions, they really aren’t necessary.

Just plug in the power source, turn it on and place the SD memory into the card slot on the front. Then inset a photo on the front feed area; it instantly grabs the photo and pulls it into the scanner. A 5×7-inch photo scans in less than 15 seconds.

The end result from a 5×7 original is a JPEG digital file at 4054×2480 pixels with a resolution of 600 dpi.

www.pandigital.net, $89.99

Joby has launched Gorillacam, a free application for iPhone users who want more camera functions from the device.

The application includes continuous rapid-fire shooting, a self-timer and time-lapse exposures.

When using the self-timer, users can be in the photo, especially when paired with Joby’s famous Gorillapod line of flexible tripods.

The Gorillamobile tripod is made especially for the iPhone with a custom engineered case to keep the iPhone in a safe enclosure.

The new app also allows continuous photo shooting up to 1.6 frames per second or time lapse photos in intervals from 1 second up to 2 minutes.

Other features include Press Anywhere, which turns the entire screen into a shutter button.

Users can also take three photos in succession with the 3-Shot Burst. A level is also included to make sure images are being photographed level in both vertical and horizontal positions.

The app is currently available in Apple’s iPhone App Store.

http://joby.com/gorillacam

The Traveler Series idox is one of the most versatile storage solutions for iPhones/iPods I’ve seen in a while.

The design keeps the device secure when not in use and functions as a flip-open stand to watch videos hands-free.

Users can put iPhones, iPod Nano and the iPod touch in it for storage, watching videos or even on a nightstand as an alarm clock.

The case is very solid with a hard outer shell. Your device easily snaps into place in a rubber enclosure for safekeeping.

When you fold it open for using a tabletop, there are rubber stoppers on the bottom to prevent it from sliding.

I used the device on a recent flight and several people were impressed; one even looked it up online with onboard Wi-Fi.

Anyone who stores their portable media device in a laptop bag or purse will find the idox prevents the unit from unnecessary scratches and damage.

The idox works specifically with 4G iPod Nano, the 2G iPod Touch and the iPhone 3G and 3GS.

www.idox360.com iPhone or iPod touch $34,95, iPod Nano $24.95

NewerTech New Voyager Q hard drive docking solution is a device that turns a 2.5- or 3.5-inch SATA I/II hard drive (up to 2.0TB) into an external drive in seconds.

It can be used with Mac or Windows systems in a simple plug and play manner by simply docking a hard drive on the top of the unit.

To me this device is real handy since I have what is becoming a stack of old drives taken from computers and smaller sized ones, which I replaced with one having a bigger capacity.

This results in the drives now being able to be used as storage instead of just collecting dust.

For connections, the unit has FireWire 400 and 800 along with USB 2.0 and eSATA. After the connection is made, there is nothing else to install.

To remove a drive, users just need to press eject lever for a safe hard drive removal.

The desktop unit measures 3.94×5.93×3.17-inches and weighs 1.32 lbs and comes with FireWire and USB cables.

www.macsales.com, $99.95

– Gregg Ellman

Officially this is not another gift guide. Instead I’d rather consider it the first of two roundups either of products I just haven’t gotten to this year or some I have just couldn’t find a home for.

Either way, you will see it’s a diverse bunch of items. Some are electronic and some have absolutely nothing to do with that, but they are items I have and think would make great holiday gifts.

As mush as I dislike how cell phone Bluetooth devices look while in use, they are extremely functional and even required for cell phone use while driving in many areas.

The Cobra Electronics CBTH2 ($45) is a solid hands-free device and paired up with my Bluetooth 2.0-enabled BlackBerry in seconds.

Two of the most important features to consider when choosing a device are comfort and whether you hear the other person talking. This unit passes the test on both features.

Users can expect seven hours of talk time and 150 hours of standby after about a three-hour charge. Calls are answered and ended with a one-touch button on the piece itself.

Cobra also has a handy vehicle charging system with the Rapid PLUG-IN Vehicle Charger ($14). The all-in-one device works with about 80 percent of all cell phones, including the iPhone. It’s also compatible with devices from other manufacturers, including LG, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung.

www.cobrahandsfree.com,

The General Imaging J1050 digital camera packs a lot of features into the price-friendly camera.

Images are taken with a 12.2-megapixel resolution in a camera, which features Smile Detection to alert the camera to fire away when your subject is ready to be photographed. Face Detection is included, ensuring that the image is properly focused.

Users can easily take and make panoramic images with the Pan-Capture Panorama feature. Other easy-to-use features include a 5X optical zoom lens, in-camera red-eye removal, blink detection and an easy to view 2.7-inch LCD.

The camera stores images on SD removable media (not included) and comes with a rechargeable LI-ion battery.

www.general-imaging.com, $139.99

Livio Radio’s desktop system is built for Pandora (streaming music) radio listeners to access the thousands of stations in seconds in a dedicated device with full controls.

With the Pandora radio system, users can find the music types and songs they want instantly. With thumbs up and down buttons on the wireless remote and the radio itself, music can be managed and customized.

Stations from anywhere in the world can be accessed and best of all there is no required monthly fee. The stations can be heard through the built-in speakers or connected to a home stereo system.

All that’s needed once the radio is purchased is power and a web connection. There is no need for a computer connection.

www.LivioRadio.com, $150

Digital photo memories are easily stored in photo books these days and if there is an easier way then Shutterfly’s Simple Path system to make a personalized photo book, I have yet to find it.

Once photos are loaded into an album within a private account (free), users choose which of these photos they want in the book.

Then select the book style, including the size (ranging from 5×7 up to 12×12-inches) and what type of cover (hard or soft). Not all covers come with each size, so select accordingly.

After the book style is made and the photos are loaded, the program does the rest by placing the photos in templates within the book.

Users can move photos from page to page, delete some or add more. It does allow a limited amount of cropping and text can be added in selected places.

If more photos are need than the allowed amount for the default page count, pages will be added for an additional charge.

www.shutterfly.com/photo-books/simple-path, 5×7-inch books start at $12.99 and 12×12 books at $54.99.

Any coffee drinker knows the danger of drinking and driving with the results of stained seats and car mats, not to mention your clothing.

I can honestly say the Brugo travel coffee mug is the first and only coffee mug I will trust to all me to get to work coffee stain-free.

The mug allowed users to avoid the brown waves of liquid spilling because it’s made with a tip and sip motion to transfer a limited (one ounce) amount of liquid at a time away from the control chamber.

This is done by only allow the limited amount in a temperature control chamber, where it cools off away from the bulk of the drink and is ready for consumption.

Believe it or not, this mug has three options to be used, Lock, Tip & Cool, and Sip. They are controlled with ease on the lid, which locks in the beverages.

The lock does just that; it closes the liquid off from getting out in any way. The tip and cool feature allow for slow drinking. Sip allows for drinking the entire beverage without any being limited to the control chamber.

www.brugomug.com, $14.95

The Aquapod Bottle Launcher from Great American Projects, Inc. is pure entertainment, at least for me.

The launcher will send 2-liter plastic bottles in the air up to 100 feet. There is no assembly required except for filling an empty bottle 1/3 full of water.

To launch it, just put it over and secure it on the launching tube. Then with a bicycle tire pump (not included) give it 10 to 15 pumps.

It’s recommended you move back about 15-feet to do the launching. You then pull the trigger and the bottle soars in the air.

The company recommends adult supervision for anyone under 10 years of age using the launcher.

www.theaquapod.com, $24.99

Earlier this year MSI Computer announced the newest addition to its line of Wind Netbooks – Wind U110 Eco.

Inside the unit is an Intel AtomTM Processor Z530 (1.60GHz) and a 160GB hard drive.

The laptop is built for portability and weighs 3.2 lbs. and includes 10-inch backlit LCD screen with a 1024×600 resolution.

It also has a standard ergonomic keyboard along with a super long-lasting battery, which can last up to 15 hours.

Built-in features include stereo speakers, 2-channel microphone, wireless capability (802.11b/g/n), Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel webcam.

www.msimobile.com, $429.99

– Gregg Ellman

With another holiday season here the decision of what photo, design or greeting to use on the family holiday card is upon many.

If you use Red River’s inkjet greeting cards you can use them all.

Using the company’s photo note card paper at home, with your own printer creates a custom greeting card for less than $1.00 per card according to Drew Hendrix, vice-president of Dallas based Red River Paper.

This factors in the costs of the envelope, ink and paper. The paper is pre-scored for easy folding and available in a variety surfaces including glossy, fine art, linen, matte and specialty textured papers.

They also give you a variety of sizes with 4×6, 5×7, 4×9-inch choices along with thank you note sized cards. Remember, these are the sizes after the card is folded to placed in an envelope

To make it a simple one stop shopping, the company also sells colorful translucent envelopes in a variety of colors to make a perfect match with the custom designed cards.

Red River’s inkjet greeting cards are made with surfaces to work with all of today’s dye and pigment based inkjet printers.

“We find that a wide variety of customers from professional photographers to the occasional home printer find on-demand greeting card printing to be cost effective, convenient, and more personal compared to store bought greetings,” said Hendrix.

To help users design and produce the cards, Red River’s web site offers some great assistance – for free!

The site offers some great help for card layout and printer setup along with videos and lessons for color management and printer maintenance.

www.redriverpaper.com/cardshop

The iP1 iPod/iPhone dock from iHome is part of the companies Studio Series, which was launched earlier this year.

With an exclusive partnership with Bongiovi Acoustics and their patented Digital Power Station technology users will hear a solid sounding desktop system.

If you’re scratching your head about the term Bongiovi Acoustics, the founder is Tony Bongiovi a cousin of John Bon Jovi, who also produced some of his music.

This sound system was designed to deliver great sound to current recordings as well as improve the sound on older tunes, which weren’t recorded up to today’s standards.

The added feature can be turned on and off depending on the sound being delivered and what is needed. For a neat display of the sound feature go to www.ihomeaudio.com/iP1 and hit the “B” button.

I found the system to be much more consistent with the extra feature off, but it’s a nice option to have.

What this all translates to is a great looking system, which delivers room filling sound from a pair of 4-inch glass-fiber woofers and 1-inch silk dome tweeters with a 100 watt amp. It’s advertised as distortion-free and that it is.

The unit also has a video out port for hooking up a display for viewing along with a wireless IR remote. With the remote users can navigate every feature of their iPod/iPhone.

Once docked, the portable players will also get charged.

www.ihomeaudio.com/iP1, $265

To me, the end of the year is the perfect time to use the Verbatim Ultralife Archival Grade DVD’s.

Most people store irreplaceable digital files (still images and videos) on a computer’s hard drive. This is fine until the hard drive dies, which is a guarantee at some point.

Even if you are one of the few who do indeed backup files on CD/DVD media, by using these DVD’s, users can expect these discs to last in excess of 100 years, assuming they have been stored in a proper location.

If you want to know how this is possible, Andy Marken, a company representative explained it this way. The discs are made with a Nobel metal as the recording layer – gold, which is not affected by the environment.

He explained that I can place a disc on the dash of my car down here (Texas) and the disc will warp, whip, what have you, and not be easily readable but the data is still there.

The discs cost more then a standard DVD but you will think they are well worth the money after a hard drive failure.

A good idea might be to burn your digital images on a set of duplicate discs, storing one at your house and a second disc at a different location.

Each disc will hold 4.7GB of data, which translates to thousands of images for most. A 50-pack spindle sells for around $90.00 while a 5-pack is about $15.00.

www.verbatim.com

The Gboard shortcut keyboard makes life easy for the GMAIL users.

With 19 finger-friendly shortcut buttons on the 4.88 X 3.5 X .38-inch unit, users simply have to hit one of them to access simple things like spam and trash.

Each button is color-coded for simplicity and laid out in categories based on tasks.

Other buttons include access to compose, forward, search, select, results, show stars, escape, reply, reply all, archive, next thread, previous thread, next message, previous message, inbox and open/close.

Users won’t have to load any software to use it and both Mac and Windows users can connect the keyboard to any open USB port.

www.gboard.com, $19.99

– Gregg Ellman

Black Friday has come and gone and if you’re like most everyone else, you barely made a dent in your holiday shopping list.

Here’s a bunch to choose from, which can fit most anyone, anywhere for most any age group.

Digital photo frames have been a popular item for several years, but the technology has gotten so much better along with packing in addition user friendly features.

The Pandigital with Pantouch 8-inch digital photo frame is the leader of the pack and holds a whopping 6400 images. To control and manage your photos, users simply touch anywhere on the glass frame to access them or use a remote control.

To load up the frame, it has a built-in 6-in-1-memory card reader on the side and also has 1GB of internal memory.

With a screen resolution of 800 x 600, users will see photos on the display without cropping or distortion. Users can load any combination digital photos (jpeg), videos (AVI) or audio (MP3) files.

For connectivity, it is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible and use USB mini and 2.0 ports.

Additional features include a real-time clock with an alarm, calendar, a headphone jack and stereo speakers.

www.pandigital.net, $99.99

The iLUV: iNT170 Internet Radio has access to over 15,000 radio stations and podcasts from all over the planet.

Users will get the powerful sound iLUV is know for with their jAura Soundcell Technology through the built-in speakers.

You would think programming something like this is difficult, but it takes just a few minutes at the most.

When you turn the unit on it searches for a WiFi connections. You then select the one you want to join and enter your password (assuming the connection requires one).

From there the menus are incredibly easy to navigate on the LCD using the included wireless remote to get a choice of stations form locations all over the world.

Users can store 20 Internet radio and 20 FM radio stations as presets.

Besides the Internet radio, the unit also has standard FM, a dual alarm clock, headphone jack and an auxiliary line input to attach an iPod or any other device with a 3.5mm jack.

www.i-luv.com, $199

Logitech’s Digital Video Security System allows you to set up a house wide system in 15 minutes.

Once installed users can monitor multiple rooms, entrances or yards and get instant motion-activated alerts sent to a cell phone or an email account.

The system can take up to six cameras and can record to a Windows based PC. Once connected the system can be watched live and since its stored on the computers hard drive it can be viewed at any time. Free remote Internet viewing is also an option.

Recording can be done at the users choice. Settings can be made to record everything or select specific times, days and durations.

Included with the initial master system is a single camera, receiver, power supply software, mounting equipment along with USB and Ethernet cables.

Addition accessories include indoor and outdoor cameras, a NightVision Illuminator Kit, which illuminates up to 30-feet and includes and 80-degree infrared lens.

Other lenses are also available for close-up or wide-angle viewing.

www.logitech.com, $299 for the master system, $199 for extra cameras

Duracell’s Rechargeable Powerhouse USB charger will work with any device charged via a miniUSB port.

It also has a standard USB port to use with products powered that way such as iPods.

The lithium ion battery will give an iPod classic up to a 4x charge and a BlackBerry curve up to a 1.2x charge.

The $49.99 item is ideal for travelers or anyone constantly on the go.

The Duracell Daylite Tough flashlight ($14.99) uses the company’s TrueBeam Optics to focus and project more light (10 times brighter) then most typical flashlights.

The opics use both a reflector and a lens to project all the light which gives a whiter, more daylight balanced light beam.

It’s enclosed in a tough rubber casing for durability and works with four AA batteries, which are stored in a nice case inside the unit.

www.ducacell.om

The Dexim AV Dock Station with remote control for the iPhone and iPod allow users to stream and listen to the devices through a home stereo.

It will also allow viewing of any stored photos or videos on a TV.

An infrared remote is included and has a 30-foot range. With the remote you can select specific content, control volume and pause or play the selections.

The unit also acts a charging device when a device is docked and also syncs with a computer.

Users of all the latest iPhone and iPod won’t have any problem fitting the device in the dock since comes with updated inserts for the proper fit. Also included is a component AV cable and mini HDMI connector.

www.Dexim.net, $79.90

With the popularity of laptop computers, accessories for them and desktop units are never ending.

Some good choices include new stylish wireless mice from Macally. The have several to choose from for specific needs, include both Bluetooth or connecting with a USB nano receiver.

They all work with both Mac and Windows systems, are powered with 2 AAA batteries (included) and require no setup.

The BTmouse ($49.99) is a 3-button mouse and works with computes equipped with Bluetooth technology.

The Optimo mouse ($29.99) also has a 3-button system and stores the USB Nano Receiver on the bottom of the unit. The storage is a great feature since without the receiver a connection can’t be made to use with a computer.

Users will find the mGlide ($29.99) to work much the same at the Optimo, but with a much smaller appearance. The mGlide is about half as thick as the Optimo and stores the USB receiver under the battery compartment on top of the unit.

For Mac users a perfect companion for any of these is the BTkey, a wireless Bluetooth Keyboard for Mac ($69.99).

This is an extended full-sized 108 key unit, which also works on 2-AAA batteries for up to 2 months.

www.macally.com

ColcaSac MacBook storage sleeve called The Original is exactly as described to me from a company representative - unique and a welcome change from the competition.

They are made by hand with all natural environmentally friendly fabrics and are heavily padded. This gives the valuable laptop protection from dents, dust and scratches, while being stored in a fashionable case.

A pocket is on the outside to store a power source or other small accessories.

Colors available are black, brown, sherpa and red. They fit laptops from the 12-inch iBook up to a 17-inch MacBook pro. Obviously users of other brands of laptops can also make use of the sleeves, just make sure you get the right size.

www.colcasac.com, $30

– Gregg Ellman

The Gorillapod SLR-Zoom from Joby is a flexible tripod that can be used almost anywhere.

Besides having the traditional three legs to stand upright on any flat surface, this unit has flexible legs that can wrap around most anything. Rubberized foot grips keep it stable, even on most slanted or slippery surfaces _ even door knobs, car handles, trees and street lights.  If the legs can go around it, this will hold up your camera – even most of today’s bigger SLR models (up to 6.5 lbs.)

The ability to attach to most anything allows the device to act as a larger tripod without the legs and bulk of bigger models.

More than two dozen leg-joints enable it to bend and rotate 360-degrees for secure attachment.  Users can also purchase a Joby Ballhead for even more flexibility.

www.joby.com SLR-Zoom $49.95, ballhead $39.95 or you can both for $79.95.

Kodak has added the ESP 5250 All-in-One printer (print/copy/scan) to its line of ink cost-saving printers.

Just like the previous models introduced in the last few years, the new unit delivers a big savings on ink since the replacement Kodak ink is the lowest in the industry.

The high-quality pigment ink cartridges print documents and photo lab quality photos, which are also stain and water resistant.

Other features include a paper tray system, which will automatically adjust based on the size and paper type. This results in less of those nagging printer errors that we all get from time to time.

A color 2.4-inch LDC can be used to print directly from a memory card without needing a computer.

My favorite feature is the built-in Wi-Fi, which let me print from anywhere in my house, cable-free from my laptop.

While the printer is loaded with great features, biggest attraction is the cost of the ink. The black cartridge retails for $9.99, while a five-ink color replacement will sell for $14.99.

www.kodak.com $169.99

Verbatim has a new Universal Card Reader and a 32GB memory card, which make a great choice for most any digital photographer shooting video or still images.

The reader is an ideal solution for transferring digital photos to any Mac or Windows computer. It features a One-Touch Copy button that instantly copies the memory card’s contents to a Windows PC. Mac users, such as myself, can use it as a traditional hardware-downloading tool.

It attaches to any USB 2.0 port (will also work on USB 1, but just a little slower) and works in a plug and play manner.

Just about every type of removable memory is supported including CompactFlash, SD and SDHC. It also supports MicroSD cards, which are in many of today’s cell phones.

The 32GB Premium SDHC Card delivers the industry’s fastest performance since it’s Class 6 rated. That means users will get minimum write and read speeds of (60X) 9MB and (133X) 20MB per second respectively.

Since many of today’s digital cameras shoot large JPG files or HD video, the larger sized memory cards like this are perfect for thousands of images and or hours of video.

Owners of SDHC memory card enabled camera equipment must remember that a SDHC-enabled card reader must be used with these type of cards, such as the one described above.

www.Verbatim.com Premium SDHC Card $99, Universal Car Reader $22.

Camera choices can be a little overwhelming, especially in the point and shoot category.

These days users shouldn’t be consumed with megapixels, since all are more than what the average photographer needs. Instead they should look at getting specific features in a camera, which will be suitable for the photographs they want to produce.

A few weeks ago I used the 12-megapixel Panasonic LUMIX DMC-ZR1 and came away very impressed.

It features the world’s first 0.3mm thin aspherical lens, which the company is real proud of. What I liked was the 25mm ultra-wide-angle, 8x optical zoom Leica lens, which yields an optical-zoom of 25mm to 200mm. This produced incredibly crisp and clear images in a camera that I considered very solid. Images up to 800 ISO were great and noise started to appear as expected at 1600.

Other features include 29 scene models, a 2.7-inch LCD, auto-focus tracking, and a video mode. Videos can be taken at 720p high-definition MPEG-4 files (30 frames per second).

One thing it didn’t include, which didn’t bother me, was a viewfinder.

The ZR1 is available in black, blue, red, and silver for $279.95.

www.panasonic.com $279.95

The Olympus Stylus Tough 8000 is one of the most versatile cameras on the market today.

As the name states, the camera performs in tough situations both on land and in the water.

The 12-megapixel camera has 3.6x optical zoom lens (28mm to 102mm) and a 2.7-inchd LCD. What makes this important is you can use it in water up to 33-feet deep, or on land in temperatures as low as 14 degrees.

One thing Olympus states about the camera is that it’s able to withstand a drop from up to six feet, but I chose to not test this.

I did take the camera on a snorkeling trip this past summer and the camera perform outstanding in the water. Using the underwater scene setting, I took hundreds of photos without changing batteries.

The lens is hidden behind a metal cover, which slides down when the power is on.

Although the camera is waterproof, this is only true when the battery and cable port doors are closed. As a precaution, users should open and close the doors (you will hear a little snap) before heading in the water.

The camera features Tap Control for a few settings. This is where you can simply tap the camera to get it to do some of the things you want – for example changing the scene or lens mode, or turning the flash on and off.

www.Olympus.com $299

A nice accessory for digital SLR cameras that have a pop-up flash is the Professor Kobre’s Light Scoop.

This device helps get better flash photography results. The built-in flash often results in unflattering and harsh results. This includes shadows, washed out faces and the hated red eye.

Using the Light Scoop will soften the light and redirect it, resulting in much better images.

The installation takes a second since you just place it over the existing pop-up flash and follow a few set-up instructions based on what camera it’s used with and the environment you are shooting in.

Once you get past this, the light will be directed to the ceiling, which creates a greater amount of diffused light on your subject, resulting in a more natural image.

At first I was skeptical, but the results are pretty amazing.

It’s available in standard or warming models for $34.95 each.

www.lightscoop.com

CVS/pharmacy has re-launched CVSPhoto.com and new customers can get 50 free prints after registering.

The site, which is easy to navigate, is loaded with features including holiday greeting cards in a variety of styles and themes.

Users can transform a photo of their own into an animated character and get prints made where they then interact with other cartoon heroes such as Barney or Spiderman.

Other options include custom cover photo books, which feature your photo on the cover of a personalized photo book. Dishwasher-safe character plates and platters can also be made.

www.CVSPhoto.com

– Gregg Ellman

Although the printer is listed on the companies website for $99, you can do a quick search and find a new one for as low as $68.

With this unit, not only will you get the great reputation of Epson but you also get a low price unit, which can copy, scan and print.

Prints are made with a four-cartridge Epson DURABrite system (black, cyan magenta and yellow) so users only need to replace the color, which is needed. The prints came out of the printer dry, which as Epson says are truly touchable as they are fade, smudge and water resistant.

Users can print borderless up to 8.5 x 11-inches and get really good results. One thing with a printer users have to remember is what you put in is typical of what you get out. With that, when I put in a good quality JPEG I got really good prints out of it.

A 2.5-inch LCD screen and a memory card reader have really become standard in these types of units and this one is no exception. This makes it simple to print photos or documents with out the need of a computer.

My preference is to always use a computer for adjusting color with photos, but printing is simple when one is not available.

For the scanning functions it will go up to 2400 dpi and can save them directly as JPEGS or PDFs. To make copies they can be enlarged or reduced from 25 – 400%.

While Wi-Fi is not built into this one, it connects to any Mac or Windows system with a USB cable (not included).

In addition the unit is loaded with many other features including manual two-sided printing and limited photo correction tools.

All in all I was really happy with the all-in-one, especially considering the price. With more and more people working form home or even college students looking for a unit like this, consider the price is right on this one.

www.epson.com

There are lots of companies make photo-editing software these days and many are really good. Somehow Adobe manages to stay at the front of the class and the recent release of Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 enforces this.

The upgraded software works on both Mac and Window systems and can be considered a condensed version of the powerful Photoshop CS4. Elements 8 is great for home use but costs a fraction ($79.00) of what CS4 will cost.

With Photoshop Elements 8 users will get a very simple program to produce great looking and professional quality images, which can be done in minutes.

Some of the new features are really incredible how well they work. One of these features includes getting the correct exposures in photos, which include light and dark areas.

Using Photomerge Exposure feature, users can take a photo taken with flash and one of the same subject without flash and then combine them into one single, better exposed photo.

One feature, which I thought was pretty cool, is the Recompose Photo tool. This takes photos that was composed with some dead space or in a format, which is not what you, want and resizes it. The subjects are kept in proportion but taking out unused space.

If you’re thinking how might you use a feature like this, in simple terms if your photo is horizontal and you want to put it in a square frame this will help resize and crop the photo for you while keeping the subjects in proportion.

The new Photomerge Scene Cleaner lets unwanted portions of digital images to be removed. This can included telephone poles growing out of subject’s heads or unwanted people standing in the background.

Users must have multiple photos of the same scene for this to work. Just take the photo where you subject looks correct but has some unwanted items in the photos. Then choose a similar photo, which doesn’t have the unwanted items.

Select the items you want removed from the good photo and the tool will match it with the photo that doesn’t have the unwanted items. While this might sound confusing, once you give it a try you’ll see the magic work.

These are just a few of the new features but trust me, if you are series about getting the most out of your digital images this is the software you need.

In addition to the still image editing software, Adobe also has introduced an upgrade to their video software Adobe Premiere Elements 8 (Windows).

It’s packed with new automated features including Smart Fix, which adjusts camera shake and lighting or color problems.

Smart Mix will balance audio for better sound and Smart Trim helps eliminate the least needed film clips might can also identify the poorest quality points.

Users can add text, graphics and lots of other effects with ease.

Adobe has make the video and still image software available bundled together (Windows only) for $119, which is a great savings. Each can be purchased individually for $79.

www.adobe.com

To help learn the new software from Adobe, O’Reilly Media has released Premiere Elements 8: The Missing Manual and Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac: The Missing Manual.

Both books carry on the O’Reilly slogan of they are the book that should have been in the box.

The Photoshop Elements 8 for Mac book ($44.99) explains in detail how much more powerful and easier to use the new version is than previous versions.

Each tool is explained in detail and shows you when they should be used with easy step-by-step instructions. This included Adobe Bridge browser, which is included in Elements 8 as well as Photoshop CS4.

Readers will learn how to import digital photos from the camera and then organize, color correct and even them back up for security.

With Elements 8 having some great new features such as Photomerge and Recompose, users can take advantage of the book explaining how to use them instead of just trying to figure it out on your own.

The Premiere book ($34.99) does most of the same with explanations on all the new tools and tricks of getting video from the camera to the computer.

Users will also learn how to edit, add chapters and other special effects including filters and frames.

http://oreilly.com

– Gregg Ellman